Isolated (Until You Came)
by DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: He's been hidden away in a flat for his own protection, except, now there's zombies everywhere, and Regulus doesn't quite know if he should stay inside or try and fight his way to a safe camp. Then Kingsley shows up, and everything changes.


**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise. **

**Challenges listed at the bottom. **

**Word Count - **5771

**Written for Hogwarts Assignment 6: **Mundane Literature, Task 8, Red Queen: Write about someone's life changing suddenly.

**Warning** \- Zombies. Anxiety and Nightmares. Isolation.

* * *

**Isolated (Until You Came) **

* * *

The walls were barren of photographs.

In fact, the whole house was impersonal. Anyone could have lived there.

Regulus supposed it was best that way. He wasn't even supposed to be alive, after all, so why did he need photographs of people he'd never be allowed to see again?

He wandered from room to room, restless. He wanted—he didn't even know what he wanted.

Sitting down at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, he laid his head on the cool marble counter. This was his life now, he may as well get used to it.

…

He was lucky that he often let the radio or the tv play for some noise in the house. Regulus never knew if he wanted to hear more news of the turf war raging London, or if he wanted to avoid it entirely. Just hearing the words 'Death Eaters' was enough to send his heart racing, his pulse deafening in his ears.

No matter that he'd been one of them, he wasn't stupid enough not to fear them.

Besides, if they knew he was alive, he'd probably be in more danger than anyone else from them, so his fear was understandable, he thought.

Lying on the sofa, eyes closed as he tried to will himself to sleep, he was shocked back to full conscious by an alert on the television.

He turned his head to look at the screen, and then blinked, wondering if he was actually asleep and having the weirdest dream imaginable.

_Zombies Terrorise Westminster_

What in the actual fuck?

He sat up and turned the volume up, eyes wide as the presenters of the news show told the story of the 'Zombies' stumbling around in front of Number 10, _biting _passersby.

Zombies.

He'd heard it all now. Except, the video footage looked like it had been pulled straight from a straight-to-video horror movie, and Regulus wasn't quite sure what to think.

_Zombies_.

"We recommend everyone stay indoors until there is more news on this situation," the newsreader said, repeating himself for effect, or perhaps in the hopes that people would process the advice if it was said twice. "We will be live and updating until the authorities have it under control."

Regulus settled himself back in against the sofa, and then frowned and stood up, wandering around the house to ensure that every window and door was locked.

Call him paranoid, but he hadn't escaped gang-life to be chomped on by a homicidal corpse.

…

Regulus startled awake, his eyes darting around the room as his heart raced. He slumped back against the cushions of the sofa when he'd assured himself he was alone and tried to ground himself.

He was safe. They didn't know he was alive. Hardly anybody knew he was alive. Only two people knew, and neither one of them was likely to out him.

He turned his eyes on the tv, unmuting it with a flick of the remote. The time in the bottom corner read 3:34am and he groaned to himself.

"—believe it's a virus, and it's spreading rapidly. Sightings have been reported at various locations around London and the bordering towns."

"How does something like that even start?" Regulus muttered to himself. He pondered the merits of trying to get back to sleep, but shook the idea away and got up. He might as well make himself a cup of tea now that he was awake.

It wasn't like he had anything to specifically get up for in the morning, after all.

…

Regulus sat at the bedroom window, the hood of his jumper pulled low over his face. Only five days since the reports of zombies in Westminster, and the 'virus' was spreading countrywide.

From his window, Regulus could see a couple of them staggering down the empty street below. Many of his neighbours had cleared out two days after the first alert, when the news of safe camps being set up along the coast was released.

They were military run, and Regulus knew better than to try and make it to one. Even if he got that far, he'd only find himself turned straight back around and thrown in jail anyway.

The closest safe point to him was Dover, just an hour away by car, but Regulus had been told to stay put and he intended to listen to the instructions he'd been given.

The niggling doubt that his 'handlers' were already bitten and turned into mindless creatures was there, but he pushed it away firmly.

He had plenty of food for right now, the month's delivery having only arrived the day before the first report, and until the water supply was cut off, plenty of water too. That was the important thing. When he ran out… then he supposed he'd have to think about other options. Until then, he was planning to stay inside, where he was safe from _all _of the horrors the world offered.

…

The news reports cut off twelve days after the virus was first reported.

Regulus didn't know if it was because the reporters had all been taken to safety, or if the studio had been attacked. He didn't honestly think he wanted to know.

They newsreaders were often his only company, and—

Good Lord, that made him sound sad. He was taking loner to a whole new level of loser.

In fairness, it had been a long time since he'd interacted with a person. Almost ten months, according to the calendar he'd kept on the wall.

He'd gotten used to it, he supposed.

A thundering outside made him frown, and he cautiously twitched the blinds on the living room window, watching for signs of movement. It sounded like running, like a lot of people running.

Down the street, he could see a man heading in his direction. He was tall, dark skinned, and… holy fuck.

Regulus moved quickly to the door, unlocking the many bolts that held it tightly closed, and cracked it open. Kingsley Shacklebolt was almost upon the doorway and Regulus opened it wide enough for him to slide inside and then locked it firmly once more, flipping bolts and chains back into their rightful places.

"Thanks," Kingsley panted. "I wasn't even sure if you were still here, the phone signal cut out five days ago and—"

"Catch your breath, you're fine," Regulus muttered awkwardly. He nodded to the living room, and heard Kingsley following behind him as he returned to the window. On the street were a myriad of zombies, more than Regulus had seen in the whole time he'd been watching through his windows.

"Is this a secret plot to get rid of me?" he asked dryly, turning to look at Kingsley. "Lead them all right to me and then throw me at them?"

Kingsley rolled his eyes as his breathing settled back into an easier rhythm. "You figured me out, whatever will I do?"

"Uh huh. What are you doing here, Kingsley?"

"I come to collect you, obviously. Didya think I was just gonna leave you here to be zombie chow?"

"Collect me to go where? And uh. Were you just gonna bundle me into a backpack and stroll through them?"

Kingsley snorted. "All this time alone has made you a horrible host. You haven't even offered me a cup of tea. How about you put the kettle on, and I'll explain what's happening?"

Regulus frowned slightly but nodded his head and moved off towards the kitchen. It hadn't even occurred to him to offer Kingsley a drink.

Maybe he really had been alone too long.

…

"A helicopter? Really? For me?"

Kingsley nodded. "We called in a few favours. They'll be here at nightfall. The zombies don't seem to need sleep, but their eyesight is _awful, _so the darkness helps. Besides, we'll be heading off from the roof, so we should be safe from them."

"I don't… understand," Regulus admitted. "I don't understand why you'd go through so much trouble for me. I'm… nobody."

Kingsley sighed. "Sirius doesn't think that."

Regulus froze. "Sirius knows I'm alive?"

"He overheard Albus and I talking about what to do about you when the outbreak first began. We weren't sure how bad it was going to be, and if we needed to have you removed from here or if it would be safe to wait. The virus spread much faster than anyone anticipated. Anyway, Sirius overheard us and, well. Your name isn't exactly common."

Nodding, Regulus ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the ends. "I don't… what does that have to do with anything though. Sirius washed his hands of me years ago."

"We told him what happened, Regulus. How you helped us out, and then almost died in the process. He was angry—at us, not you—and he was determined to come out and get you immediately. We talked him down from that, but when it got really bad… well." Kingsley spread his hands wide in front of him. "His best friend, James—you remember him I'm sure—has his helicopter license and Sirius talked him into dropping me off nearby."

Regulus didn't know what to say, hell, he didn't know what to think.

He'd long since accepted that Sirius would never want to see him again, let alone speak to him, and now… this.

"So we're going to, uh. Dover?"

Kingsley nodded. "It's the closest safe camp, and it's one of the easiest to transport people from. We've got boats coming in and out, taking survivors across to mainland Europe."

"So, I should… pack?"

"It would be a good idea. We'll be leaving at midnight, ready or not."

…

"Why are you packing knives?" KIngsley asked, nodding to the knife Regulus was putting into the side pocket of his backpack.

"Protection," Regulus replied flatly.

"If the zombies are close enough for you to stab them, you're fucked anyway," Kingsley replied good-naturedly. "You don't need protection from anyone else."

"You think that, but if there are any Death Eater at that camp—"

"There aren't," Kingsley swore. "I promise you, there aren't. We've been doing well cleaning the streets over the last few months, Regulus, and many of those that are left have been hit with the virus."

"How can you tell though? A lot of them were brainless cretins to start with," Regulus muttered, making Kingsley laugh. "And besides that, if anyone sees the tattoo on my arm… the Death Eaters have hurt and destroyed a lot of families, Kingsley. They'll see that tattoo and they won't care that I changed my mind. They'll only see the tattoo."

"You're going to be fine," Kingsley assured him. "Sirius is… excitement doesn't explain how eager he is to see you. He wouldn't let anyone hurt you. You're not one of them, Regulus. We'll make sure that people know that."

"You… you're excusing my crimes like they meant nothing. Regardless of what I did to help you, I'm still a murderer. I'm still… I still deserve to be punished for joining them."

"You were forced into killing that man under the threat of your own life," Kingsley said firmly. "Mitigating circumstances, Regulus. You're not a bad person. You just… made bad choices, but you've tried to make up for that. You can't punish yourself for the rest of your life."

Regulus just looked away, doubtfully. "How long until midnight?"

"An hour and a half."

"Would you like another cup of tea, Kingsley?"

Kingsley smiled. "Love one."

…

It was windy. Regulus shivered slightly, wrapping his arms around himself. Kingsley stood close by, his eyes on the sky as they waited for the helicopter. Below them, Regulus could just make out figures stumbling and wandering aimlessly on the street.

They'd lingered after losing Kingsley, almost as though they were just waiting for more bait to chase.

Regulus wondered if anything was going on in their minds, besides the bloodlust that sent them into a frenzy whenever a human was nearby.

The sound of the helicopter overhead made Regulus look up, and he watched it fly towards them before it stopped, hovering overhead. A rope ladder was thrown down, and Kingsley nodded at Regulus to climb up first, holding it steady at the bottom for him.

When he reached the top, Regulus barely had any warning before he was tugged into the helicopter and into a warm hug. The physical contact, despite being on top of his clothes, was a shock to his system and he froze awkwardly, unsure what to do with his arms.

When he pulled back, he came face to face with his older brother.

Sirius hadn't changed much, despite the years since they'd last laid eyes on each other. His hair was a touch longer, and his eyes were wearier, but ultimately, he was still the same man.

"Reggie," he whispered. "I can't believe you're here."

"Well, you did come in a helicopter just to see me," Regulus replied. "I couldn't really turn the invitation down, could I?"

Sirius choked out a laugh, and Regulus saw that his eyes were growing brighter with unshed tears.

"I missed you, Reggie," he whispered.

Regulus swallowed against the sudden lump in his own throat. "I missed you too."

Kingsley climbed into the helicopter and pulled the ladder up, closing the door against the wind. Sirius tugged Regulus into the seat beside him, and Kingsley sat facing him, a mild smile on his face.

Sirius didn't let go of Regulus' hand until they landed.

…

"Is this actually necessary?" Regulus complained, standing between his brother and Kingsley in just his boxers, while Military personnel checked him thoroughly for zombie bites.

"Yes," the one checking him over said shortly, twirling his finger for Regulus to turn around. "Occasionally, if the bites haven't been on the neck or at a direct artery, the transformation has taken longer to happen. Someone tried to sneak in here with one on their ankle a few days ago."

Regulus grimaced.

When they were all cleared and given their clothes back, Sirius led them through the cabin out onto a large field. There were tents pitched everywhere Regulus looked, and people sitting together, gathered around little campfires.

It was almost cozy, if you forgot _why _they were all pitched there.

Sirius led them to a small clearing, where five tents were set slightly apart from any others. "This is us," Sirius said. "You two are gonna have to share, is that okay?"

Regulus nodded, glancing at Kingsley. "Fine," he said quietly, trying to hide his panic.

The last thing he wanted was for Kingsley to be woken constantly in the night because Regulus couldn't handle a little nightmare. Biting his lip, he sat down on one of the logs by the crackling fire, and was promptly startled when a man popped his head out of one of the tents.

"You're back!"

Sirius immediately crossed to him and tugged him impatiently from the tent, pulling him over to Regulus. "Remus, you remember my little brother, Reggie, right?"

Regulus blinked. If Sirius hadn't really changed since Regulus had seen him last, then Remus was practically unrecognisable. Regulus smiled at him uncertainly when he nodded, grinning down at him.

He let his eyes drift over the camp while Sirius and Remus talked quietly. There were… quite a lot of people, but also, not as many as Regulus expected. He wondered how many lives had been taken by the zombies and winced to himself.

It had to be a lot. Of course, he hadn't seen the other safe camps, but the closest one to this was Southampton, and that was almost three hours away by car. There should have been a _lot _more people here.

"Some have already been transported overseas," Kingsley said quietly, sitting down beside him. "But there's a lot that… didn't make it here."

Regulus nodded. "The numbers must be rough to look at."

Kingsley smiled sadly. "They are. Are you going to be okay sharing a tent with me? I can double up in one of the others tents—it'll be tight but I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

Shaking his head, Regulus sighed. "It's fine, it's not—it's not you, if that's what you're thinking. I just… I have nightmares still and I don't want you to have to deal with that."

"We all have nightmares," Kingsley replied. "It's not a sign of weakness, if that's what you're clinging on too. With the horrors you witnessed… I'd be more concerned if you _didn't _have nightmares about it."

Regulus started into the flickering flames. He couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't belong here, and he wondered how long it would take them all to realise that as well.

…

"You're different."

Regulus turned his head and raised his eyebrow at James, who offered him a metal camping cup full of tea.

"From when you were a kid I mean. You used to be a lot mouthier. I feel like I have to keep looking for you because I haven't heard you say a single thing all night."

Regulus shrugged. "I guess I learned to hold my tongue. There… there was a lot that wasn't allowed for a really long time and then, then I guess I was on my own in a flat for nearly a year. I got used to not talking."

James nodded. "I suppose I didn't really consider that. Must be a culture shock then, being around people again? Especially us lot, we're not exactly the quietest of people."

Regulus chuckled lowly, wrapping his hands better around the cup. It was a chilly evening despite the fire being kept well stocked, and the cup was giving off some much appreciated warmth.

"I forgot what it was like to be around people that I don't have to…" he shook his head. "If I'd said the wrong thing before, I'd have been risking a bullet wound. It's hard not to fall back to that and just speak openly."

"Well, you won't get shot for saying the wrong thing here, though Remus is very handy at throwing pens at people that annoy him," James quipped. "And he makes us say nice things if we're mean to each other."

"He makes you say nice things?"

James nodded. "He doesn't like negativity, and he thinks if we can say positive things, we can be positive people."

"What… he's changed. From before I mean. I didn't recognise him."

James sighed, and then nodded to Regulus's mug. "I didn't poison that tea, you know? You can drink it, I promise. Remus… he got really ill, a few years ago. He's doing better now but… it aged him, I suppose. And it left him with scars, both visible and not. He's still Remus, but he's definitely the mature one now."

"Wasn't he back then?"

James nudged his shoulder playfully. "There's the cheeky little shit I've been waiting for. You're alright here with us, you know? We won't let anything happen to you."

"I… thanks. It… it means a lot. I was surprised that Sirius even _wanted _to see me when Kingsley first told me about the rescue mission he'd instigated to get me here. He… when I went… dark… he said he never wanted to see me again."

"Everyone has a dark side," James said softly. "Even Sirius. Even me. It just… it matters if you let the dark side win. You didn't. In the end, you realised that what they were doing was wrong and you tried to fix that as best you could. Nobody can fault you for that, and… everyone makes mistakes. Your mistakes don't have to take over your whole life."

Regulus nodded. He was slowly beginning to accept that. He wondered if he'd ever fully believe that he didn't deserve to be punished.

…

Regulus went to bed before Kingsley. Dawn was breaking, and he wondered if the others planned to sleep at all, or if they'd just keep on going until night again, but he'd needed some time to just… be.

He'd changed in the shower block into sweats and a baggy jumper and he crawled into the violet sleeping bag already laid out him. He stared up at the canopy of the tent, listening to the slight swell of conversation just outside.

It was odd, he thought, to be around people again. He'd been alone for so long that this sudden change was a lot to deal with. He thought he was doing okay.

Sirius kept looking at him like he couldn't quite believe he was there. Regulus himself couldn't quite believe he was there either, so he was in good company.

The zip on the tent was opened, and slowly, Kingsley crawled inside, zipping it up behind himself. He was moving cautiously and carefully.

"I'm not asleep, you're fine," Regulus told him quietly.

"Oh, thank god for that. Moving around in a tent when you're as wide as I am is _not a simple task._"

Regulus snorted. Kingsley settled in beside him, zipping himself into his own sleeping bag. "Are you doing okay?"

Regulus nodded and then realised that it was too dark to see inside the tent. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay."

"I'm glad. I'm glad we got you out of there, and I'm… sorry that I didn't do it sooner. Before… I wanted to come and tell you that you were safe to leave the flat, but I didn't dare, you know? I just… I wanted the Death Eaters gone before I let you go out there again."

"They'll never be gone," Regulus muttered. "Well. They wouldn't have been, before this virus. Now… I don't know if any of them escaped of… but I guess London isn't much worth holding territory over now, is it?"

Kingsley chuckled. "Not really, no. If any of them survived, I imagine they'll take themselves overseas, start again wherever they end up. Albus thinks that Riddle survived and got out of the area early on after the virus hit, but he's not sure."

Regulus shuddered at the mention of Tom Riddle, the boss of the Death Eaters. He was vicious and cruel, hard to satisfy and easy to anger. He lured new people into the gang with promises of money and women and drugs and power and whatever it was that the specific person wanted, only to turn them into his puppets as soon as they were marked with his sign.

Even now, years after Regulus took the tattoo, he wondered how he could have fallen for the lies. He'd just wanted to _be somebody. _

He'd grown up in the shadow of Sirius, known around London with his friends from an early age. For as long as he could remember, Regulus had always been Sirius' little brother, Regulus, rather than just Regulus.

He wished now of course that he could have appreciated that kind of anonymity, but he couldn't change what he'd done.

Regulus was beginning to realise that that one mistake didn't have to define him though.

He turned on his side, and closed his eyes. The faint, masculine scent of Kingsley beside him helped him to feel… safe.

Unwilling to examine exactly what that was all about, he tried to empty his mind of thoughts and focused on going to sleep. He thought he heard a quiet "goodnight," but he was already asleep and could have imagined it.

…

"Sleep well?"

Regulus nodded, yawning as he accepted a mug filled with fragrant coffee from Remus. "I did, thanks."

"James and Sirius are still sleeping, they only went to bed a few hours ago," Remus said, as Regulus sat down. "Sirius said you should go explore the camp if you want to, but to take a walkie talkie and save him the meltdown when he wakes up."

Regulus snorted, but shook his head. "I'm okay here."

"There's books and crosswords and stuff by the entrance to the camp," Remus suggested. "I'm going to take a walk up there in about an hour, to change some books over. You could come with me if you wanted, pick a couple out for yourself."

Regulus nodded. "That sounds good. Thanks."

Remus just smiled at him and left him to drink his coffee.

An hour later, awake and more alert, Regulus joined Remus on his walk to the entrance.

"James, he told me he'd talked to you last night."

Regulus nodded silently.

"How are you doing with the sudden change? I know it can be a lot."

"It's… different," Regulus admitted. "But it's not bad different. Just different. I'm… still getting used to the idea that I'm allowed this. That I'm not going to be put back into a flat and left there to gather dust, you know?"

"The gravity of a situation like this takes a lot of handling," Remus agreed. "When I was ill, I tried to push everyone away. I didn't want them to see me like that, you know? It didn't work of course, they're a tenacious bunch, but for about a week, I was left alone in my hospital room because I refused to see anyone. I barely lasted that week. I have absolutely no idea how you managed to do almost a year, but you're stronger than you think, Regulus."

"I deserved—"

"You didn't," Remus said, his voice firm but calm. "Kingsley, he showed us the reports on you, after Sirius heard him and Albus talking. The good you did when you turned far outways the bad that you were forced into. I think, the way you handle isolation for so long, it just proves that you have a strong will to survive."

"Is he, are you and Sirius—"

"We're not together," Remus said, smirking. "We're… the closest of friends, him, James and I. We've been together through a lot. But no, we're not together."

"Huh."

The conversation moved to lighter topics when they reached the entrance, as Remus asked Regulus what kind of books he liked to read, and they spent the whole walk back comparing different authors.

It was… nice. To have a normal discussion.

…

"Hey you," Kingsley said, dropping down onto the grass beside the camping chair Regulus had curled up in. "You doing okay?"

"Bored," Regulus said quietly. "But otherwise fine."

The others all had things to do during the day, be it helping to arrange the transport onto the boats or being locked up in meetings with Albus Dumbledore and the military generals, talking about the future of the country.

Kingsley clicked his tongue sympathetically. "We can try and get you on a boat out of here tomorrow if you want? If you think you'd be okay—"

Regulus shook his head. "I don't want to go until the rest of you do, if that's alright? I just… I guess I'm comfortable with you all."

"Whatever you want is fine," Kingsley assured him. "It should only be a few more days here, to be honest. The camp—and the other ones—are almost clear now, and then we'll all be going."

Regulus nodded. "What… where will we go when we leave?"

"France most likely," Kingsley replied. "There have been talks with the French government about Albus and the military setting up a center there, and we'll all need to be close by for that. Eventually, the plan will be to send some back here, clean up the mess and hopefully start bringing people home so we can rebuild."

Regulus nodded.

"Hey, Reggie, look at this," Sirius said, leaning over Regulus' chair to shove a photograph under his nose. Regulus took the photo, noticing the way the edges were worn and a little torn in the corners.

It was of the two of them, taken when they were young. They couldn't have been older than fifteen and fourteen respectively, and Sirius had his arm thrown casually around Regulus' shoulders.

Both of them were smiling happily.

"I can't believe you still have this," Regulus whispered.

"Of course I do," Sirius replied softly. "Hey, no matter what I said to you in anger, you've always been my little brother and I've always loved you, you hear me?"

"I hear you."

Regulus stared at the photo for a little longer before he offered it back. He pretended not to see the way Sirius slipped it into his wallet. "Thanks for showing me."

Sirius grinned and ruffled Regulus' hair. "Get some sleep tonight, Reggie. We're shipping out for France tomorrow, just had the go ahead. They're sending one of the bigger boats so everyone can jump on."

Regulus nodded and smiled. That sounded good to him.

…

He woke suddenly, shaking.

"You're okay," a comforting voice said, and he turned quickly, a pain shooting through his neck at the movement. "Hey, hey, you're okay, it's just a nightmare, you're safe."

_Kingsley. _

"I, sorry," Regulus gasped. "Sorry. I didn't. Sorry."

"It's fine," Kingsley muttered. "Can I touch you? Is that okay?"

Regulus nodded shakily and found himself gathered up quickly in strong arms, pulled against a warm, strong chest.

He reached up to wipe the sleep from his eyes, only to find his face damp with tears. He was suddenly glad for the dark, sure his cheeks were turning red with embarrassment.

"Remember what I said about nightmares not making you weak," Kingsley reminded him softly.

Regulus nodded and let himself relax into the embrace. "You, uh. You're still going to be around in France, right?"

"Of course I will," Kingsley replied softly. "I'll stay as close as you want, Regulus, I promise."

"I'm sorry for being so needy," Regulus murmured. "I just…"

He trailed off, not knowing how to voice his messed up thoughts. Kingsley made him feel safe in a way that nobody else did, and he didn't think he was just… imprinting on him, as such. It was more… there was something inherently comforting about him that Regulus was attracted too.

And that wasn't all he was attracted too, but he certainly wouldn't be voicing those thoughts any time soon.

"You don't need to explain," Kingsley assured him quietly. "When you're ready, the words will come to you, okay? And until then… we're not in any rush, here. Take it a day at a time, okay?"

Regulus nodded against his chest. A day at a time. He could do that.

"Think you can sleep some more, or do you want to go and watch the sunrise over the bay?"

"Sunrise sounds good," Regulus said. "But, uh. In a minute. Just… can we just stay here for a minute? Please?"

Kingsley smiled against his temple. "Sure."

…

They swapped one camp for another. The French government had accommodated as many of the influx of people as they could, but they didn't have rooms for everyone.

Regulus didn't mind it, though he did have a good chuckle at Sirius complaining about tents and real beds and the lack of a decent hair dryer.

Being outside, being in nature, was refreshing for Regulus after so long cooped up in the flat he'd been stuck in. He didn't mind the wooden shower block or the lack of hair dryers, and the cabins that the military set up had enough generated power that they even had a television room set up this time.

Regulus liked it best, after the work was done for the day and everyone gathered around the fire for the evening.

He was still quiet for the most part, but he quietly involved himself in conversations, and slowly, he got more comfortable in being allowed to speak up with whatever came to mind.

His favourite time though, oddly enough, had become bedtime. He enjoyed the one on one conversations with Kingsley, and he really enjoyed the way the man no longer hesitated to wrap Regulus up in strong arms, even when there wasn't a nightmare as an excuse.

It was still platonic, but Regulus could see the hints of want in Kingsley's eyes occasionally. It gave him hope that the fluttering in his stomach and the way his heart dipped when their eyes met sometimes wasn't entirely unreciprocated.

He was settling into his new life, and he was… happy.

And then Sirius said he had to talk to him.

And Regulus just knew that this new life he was trying to hold on to was all going to fall down around him.

...

"Why?" Regulus demanded, glaring at his brother. "Why do I have to stay here while you're back there, risking your life?"

"I have to go back," Sirius said, his eyes pleading with Regulus to understand. "It's my _job, _Reggie. It's what I do. James and I, we'll be safe. We'll watch each other's backs, I promise."

"I'm not telling you that you can't go back, Sirius," Regulus replied firmly. "I'm telling you that I'm going with you."

Sirius gave a pained moan and shook his head. "I've just gotten you to safety! You can't ask me to put you right back into the line of fire!"

"If you can do it, so can I! I want to _help, _Sirius. I want to be the cause for people to get their lives back! Just… just for once, I want to make the right choice."

"If he wants to go, we could use all hands on deck with this," Kingsley said calmly from the side. "Between us, we can keep him safe, Sirius."

"You're just saying that because you fancy him!"

James nudged Sirius, shaking his head. "Say something nice to make up for that. You know Remus' rule."

"Go. Away. Annoying. Person," Sirius growled, pushing at James shoulder.

James only laughed. "Say something nice."

"I'm sorry," Sirius muttered to Kingsley. "You have, erm. A pretty smile?"

Regulus snorted, and Kingsley and James both started laughing, Kingsley shaking his head.

Sirius turned his attention back to Regulus. "Please don't do this," he asked, desperation clear in his tone. "I only just got you back, I don't want to lose you again."

"You won't," Regulus replied. "You'll be right there to protect me, the same way you did when we were kids. I just… I can't stay here alone and wait, Sirius. I can't. Not anymore. I'm useless here and I know it, and I just… I can't."

With a deep sigh, Sirius stared at him for a long moment and then nodded. "Fine. Fine, I get it. I don't _like _it, but I get it."

Regulus grinned at his brother and nodded.

It wasn't quite the new beginning he'd thought he'd have, hunting down and killing off zombies, but… the future looked pretty bright to him.

Especially if Kingsley kept aiming that radiant smile at him.

* * *

**Written for: **

Assorted Appreciation - 1. "Say something nice."

Trope - 14. Photograph

Showtime - 1. Windy

Attic - 12. Poison

Archive - 1. Kingsley Shacklebolt

Scamander - 18. Desperation

Film - 16. Knife

Marvel - 10. Murderer

Lyric - 1. I'm useless and I know it.

Funfair - Apple Picking - Tree 1 - 6. Knife

Horror Movie - Murder Weapon - 9. Zombies

Monster Mash - Arms/Hands - 6. Fauna's Eye Hands - "Everyone has a dark side."

Galleon - Apocalypse

Pumpkin Toss - Small - 10. Zombie Apocalypse

Days of the year - 53. Veterans Day - A character than canonically dies, surviving.

Autumn - 17. Wind

Colour - 3. Violet

Birthstone - 10. Pearl - "Go. Away. Annoying. Person."

Flowers - 10. Pansy - WIll to survive

Tarot Cards - 2. Death - A new beginning

Element - 10. Gravity

Bake A Cake - Milk - New Beginnings

Ravenclaw - 10. Loner

Star Chart - 6. Taurids Meteor Shower - Radiant

Religious Event - 9. Double Ninth Day - Double / Positive / Masculine

History - 8. Fire

365\. 285. Homicidal


End file.
